On March 28, 1985, Hrant Kurkdjian’s jewelry workshop in Beirut was raided by three gunmen. The thieves stole the gold but also killed five members of our families. Hrant Kurkdjian, the shop owner, a husband and the father of two children. Also murdered were four employees: Hani Zammar, Maria Mikhael, Khatoun Tekeyan and Avedik Boyadjian. The crime shook the community immensely and devastated our families forever. Dubbed as the “massacre of Bourj Hammoud”, it is the most violent crime Lebanon has seen in its recent history.

Law enforcement investigations led to identify the three brothers Panos, Raffi, and Hratch Nahabedian as the perpetrators who planned and executed the killings and the theft. During the investigations the three brothers admitted to being the masterminds of the massacre. They abused the trust of Hrant Kurkdjian and his employees to enter the jewelry store equipped with an electric door. They admitted to having mercilessly killed all those who were in the jewelry store leaving no witnesses to disclose their identities. The crime was premeditated, they came prepared to steal, and to kill. Their plan was to escape to Europe and to start a new life with the assets they stole, leaving behind fractured families of innocent victims. 

While in prison awaiting trial, the Nahabedian brothers planned another plot. They escaped Roumyeh prison where they had been for two years and were nowhere to be found in Lebanon. Nonetheless, the court case continued in absentia sentencing each of them with lifetime prison sentences on December 10, 1994.

The court had concluded its work and the case was closed, but the criminals were still missing. Life continued, though with a heavy burden. 

Almost two decades later, we learnt that the perpetrators had been living in Vienna under new, falsified identities while the families of the victims were desperate for justice in Lebanon.   

• The 3 Nahabedian fugitives entered Austria in the late 1980s
• Established new lives under falsified names. 
• Obtained Austrian citizenships in the 1990s
• Ran a jewelry shop in the first district of Vienna entertaining clients including Melanie Grifith, Beyonce and many other international celebrities
• Raffi Nahabedian died in 2012

The lack of an extradition agreement between Lebanon and Austria is allowing the surviving Nahabedian criminal brothers to have more time outside of prison. 

As such, we urge the Austrian authorities to revoke Austrian citizenships and not allow its protection to be extended to criminals escaping justice in other jurisdictions. The Nahabedian brothers ought to be extradited back to Lebanon where they are citizens and to stand trial in the appropriate national courts.

We urge you to help us to reach justice. We plead that you do not protect and offer naturalization privileges to the criminals who lied their way into Austrian society.

Stand with us and sign this petition to extradite the two criminal brothers hiding in Austria to be returned to their country of origin where justice is long overdue.

You can read more details about the crimes of the Nahabdeian brothers on the website:    

Website:  https://www.thebhmassacrefiles.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bhmassacre85

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhmassacre85/

Crowdfunding: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/le-massacre-impuni-de-bourj-hamoud/collectes/soutenez-les-familles-des-victimes-de-bourj-hamoud